Prisoner 489

Prisoner 489 by Joe R. Lansdale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bernard, Wilson, and Toggle work at a prison graveyard on an island near an island prison. When Prisoner 489 is executed, they use the electric chair on him four times and put a plastic bag over his dead. But when he gets to the island for burial, he's not quite dead and in a foul mood...

I contributed money to the Kickstarter for this Dark Regions Novella by Joe Lansdale. I was not disappointed.

Prisoner 489 is the story of three men battling something that can't die. That's pretty much all I'm going to divulge of the plot. Imagine being trapped on an island with an unstoppable monster and you've got a pretty good idea of what sort of novel this is.

In just a few pages, Lansdale manages to establish the three workers who live on the island, Kettle, the man who brings them their supplies once a week, and Prisoner 489, who is more of a force of nature than a character.

Lansdale's writing is top notch but it took me a few pages to get into the story. Once the prisoner shows up, the story goes into high gear and the pages won't turn fast enough. As always, the story is told in Joe Lansdale's front porch style, making it an easy but compelling read.

The illustrations by Santiago Caruso add a lot to the story and I can't wait to see the finished product.

If you're looking for a horror novella to read this holiday season, Prisoner 489 will meet your needs, right up until he tears your leg off and beats you to death with it. 4 out of 5 stars.

View all my reviews